The present invention relates to a novel intraocular lens which is specially useful for implantation in the eye adjacent the iris.
Implantation of intraocular lenses have become a standard procedure following cataract surgery. It is extremely important that the intraocular lens attain a state of fixation after implantation to prevent damage to the internal anatomy of the eye. For example an intraocular lens placed in the anterior chamber of the eye can cause serious damage to the endothelium which is the inside layer of the cornea. The endothelium cells do not regenerate after a mere touching of the same by any instrument or the like. Destruction of the endothelium layer will result blindness. Therefore, it is very important that anterior chamber fixation be permanent.
In addition, placing an intraocular lens next to the iris and in contact with the iris can cause iris chaffing. The pigmentation of the iris will be scraped off by an intraocular lens and remain on the surface of the intraocular lens in many cases. Also, an intraocular lens adjacent the iris may interfere with the opening and closing with the changing light conditions. This, of course, can also cause the intraocular lens to touch the endothelium resulting in a complex problem.
However, placement of an intraocular lens in an anterior chamber of the eye is in general a simplier procedure than placement of the intraocular lens in the posterior chamber after an extra-capsular or intra-capsular surgical procedure. The optical results by placement of the intraocular lenses in the anterior are very satisfactory in relation to those placed in the posterior chamber of the eye.
An intraocular lens which is simple to implant and remains fixed in the anterior chamber without damage to the cornea would be a great advance in the medical field of eye care.